RINCON, Ga. () — On Tuesday, residents of Magnolia Drive in Rincon expressed their worries to News 3 regarding a construction site planned right opposite their homes.
As per the Rincon City Council’s minutes from February 24, 2024, the property, which spans 1.18 acres and is located at 0 Magnolia Drive, was discussed. In their subsequent meeting, the council agreed to rezone the parcel from R2 (intended for single-family and duplex homes) to B-2 (general commercial use). Keith & Joy Woods, along with BKB Properties LLC, own this land, according to the council records.
It was earlier reported that locals have long opposed commercial development within their neighborhood. The issue of how the property should be utilized has been a point of contention for many years. Although residents expressed their objections to the rezoning decision in February, it was nonetheless approved by the council.
Residents like Jason and Nikki Carangelo are mainly worried about water coming from the construction site, which appears to be flowing into their pond behind the site. Their pond then flows into Dasher Creek.
According to Jason, they pulled several dead fish from their pond just a few weeks after tree clearing at 0 Magnolia Drive began. “We’ve lived here ten years. We’ve used the pond the whole time. The kids love it. They fish in it. They boat on it. They use the water for gardening. We also just like looking at the pond. We don’t even do that anymore. It’s just ruined.”
Courtney Monroe is a friend of the Carangelo family. She said there are dozens of other residents who are just as concerned. “It doesn’t just become a neighborhood problem. It’s like long term for the entire community. There’s enough money in Effingham County, that all this rapid development, they can give us transparency. They can give us good planning, not poor planning. They can give us the accountability that we deserve, because we pay that much here.”
Some people are also concerned that you can walk right up to the construction zone. According to one resident, there is no fence or tarp blocking the 16 children and several animals in the neighborhood from entering. However, there is black lining separating the site from other businesses.
There are rumors about what is being built on the property but the city hasn’t confirmed what the project is. A spokesperson said will have a response from the city on this matter this Thursday.
News 3 also reached out to the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) about residents’ concerns. Stay with for updates.
